412 



FORESTRY AND IRRIGATION 



September 



be extended to give the Forest Service 

 control of all lands in the State which 

 are or shall be devoted to timber cul- 

 ture, at least, until the State is 

 equipped to do as good work. The 

 next suggestion, that the State pur- 

 chase the cut-over pine lands, will re- 

 quire a greater amount of liberality 

 and foresight than any State legisla- 

 ture has yet shown, but the suggestion 

 is a good one, nevertheless. The State 

 School of Agriculture is well equipped 



liberality. The office of the State fire 

 warden has been considered in the na- 

 ture of a pension, rather than as a 

 practical and valuable service to the 

 State. This is true in spite of the 

 excellent results shown. Because these 

 results have been somewhat negative 

 in character their value is not ap- 

 preciated. It is known that previous 

 to the organization of the State fire 

 warden service there were disastrous 

 forest fires, and that since then the loss 



Reproduction of Norway Pine on an Old Burnt-Over District 

 Minnesota Forest Reserve. 



to demonstrate the practicability of 

 scientific forestry, and can undertake 

 that work better than can any private 

 individual or corporation. A concern 

 that must show reasonable profits can- 

 not afford to wait a century for re- 

 turns. The State can. 



The last two items in this proposed 

 scheme are worthy of attention at the 

 next session of the State Legislature. 

 One of them has been considered be- 

 fore this, but the legislature has not 

 been disposed toward even reasonable 



of timber by fire has been very small. 

 But the disposition has been to at- 

 tribute this to chance rather than to 

 give credit where credit is due. Hence 

 the biennial appropriation for the work 

 has been small, and the salary of the 

 chief fire warden has been left at a 

 figure that has permitted little but 

 routine and office work. 



The last suggestion, in regard to the 

 taxation of timber lands, is a practical 

 one as regards grown timber as well 

 as the one that will probably be the 



